What Is Universal Design for Learning?



Universal Design for Learning is a set of principles for curriculum development and lesson planning that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.

UDL focused on providing the learner with multiple means of Representation, multiple means of Action & Expression, and multiple means of Engagement.

UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs and ability levels.


Why is UDL necessary?

Individuals bring a huge variety of skills, needs, and interests to learning. Neuroscience reveals that these differences are as varied and unique as our DNA or fingerprints. This is why we all learn differently from one another.

Three primary brain networks come into play:


Recognition Networks: The "what" of learning. How we gather facts and categorize what we see, hear, and read. Identifying letters, words, or an author's style are recognition tasks.


external image p1_brain.png

Strategic Networks: The "how" of learning. Planning and performing tasks. How we organize and express our ideas. Writing an essay or solving a math problem are strategic tasks.

external image p2_brain.png

Affective Networks: The "why" of learning. How learners get engaged and stay motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions.


external image p3_brain.png


Presentation link

http://prezi.com/zvehbf95tho8/universal-design-for-learning/

Video Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4

UDL Guidelines


http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

CAST (2010)